As the semester comes to an end and I continue to struggle with my final exams, this course offers, as it has throughout the semester, a creative outlet and a modern take on a course that could easily have been a tired rehash of American Literature. Beginning with the play list and culminating with our video project, this class allowed me to use numerous mediums to discuss and develop my own view of literature. The fact that all work was posted online and the website provided an interactive public forum of sorts only further engaged me and stimulated the communal learning environment. The course itself pulled me in and I found myself being more and more involved with each project, as opposed to the typical dwindling effort one might expect throughout the semester. In fact, this course has truly been the only class on my schedule that I have actually enjoyed and will miss participating in. The environment of mutual respect and understanding helped me enjoy attending class and gave the class an appeal which I wish I would see in more classes.

I feel as though I have learned a lot in this class that I would not be able to obtain from the average English Course. First off, our use of technology has benefited me greatly in my understanding of the many uses this powerful medium contains. Between the blog I maintained and the projects I created with computer programs, I was introduced to many modern tools that I had not yet discovered. Although this technology often seemed set on halting my progress, by being forced to struggle with it and expand my technological boundaries I was able to grasp many new programs and increase my computer literacy, something that is very important in a constantly evolving world. I also feel as though I have learned an immense amount through a newfound ability to interpret literature by unfamiliar means. What I mean by this is, whereas before I had only looked at literature through the scope of writing formulaic papers, the projects we did allowed me to do similar interpretation but also forced me to use more creative vehicles in order to demonstrate my point. This not only made me think about what I was trying to convey with each project and how I, personally, defined literature, but it also promoted a more creative thought process in the search for literary representation and analysis.

Overall, I think this course provided a refreshing glimpse into the possibilities that one might find when they incorporate technology into teaching more traditional subjects. As I put together my final portfolio, I have realized that my only real regret is the fact that I never took the time to enjoy the projects created by my classmates. In the case of many of these, I had not yet taken the time to enjoy their work, and I’m glad I’ve gotten to do so while working on this portfolio. It’s interesting to see the differences in my interpretations of certain pieces of literature as compared to that of my peers. While I am not sure what my peers may think of my work, I did enjoy posting my work, for better or worse. While I have an outgoing personality, for some reason I have always been shy about sharing my work with others. While posting my projects online did make doing this easier, I was happy none the less that as the semester continued I began to let go of the stage fright that many of us experience. The ability of this class to alleviate fear of “making mistakes” and promote creativity and open mindedness made it a one of kind class. I enjoyed my experience thoroughly and hope everyone enjoys my work.

A few Blog Posts and Comments
While I enjoyed the ability to post my thoughts on particular stories and works, I feel as though Blogging was the one area of the class of which I did not take full advantage. While I often added entries and commented on my peers’ entries or works in the beginning of the semester, as the class went on I become so engrossed with my own projects that I often forgot this aspect of the class. I feel as though all of my posts and comments were well thought out and added to the discussions but I just didn’t do it often enough. Beyond this, I think my favorite part of the blogging process was seeing what other people had to say about certain stories and replying to them with my own interpretation. This often helped us all flesh out the stories and poems we read and provided a friendly, yet serious, medium through which we could share ideas. It was nice to get the opinions of others and view issues from a peer’s perspective. This is a very effective tool and one I wish other teachers would adopt. If I get enough time in the near future I’d like to create my own sports blog. Hopefully I can take what I learned through this class and apply it to one of my personal interests. Only time will tell.

A Death in Texas
A Good Man is Hard to Find
Hills like White Elephants comment
Rites of Passage interpretation
Lord of The Flies collage comment
Comment on Vietnam Video
Sleep comment- social commentary
MLK Comment

Playlist

Doing the playlist was one of the most rewarding, yet time consuming, projects I did this semester. Focusing on the rise and fall of Pablo Escobar, the infamous Colombian drug lord, I spent a considerable amount of time researching his life and then attempted to choose songs which related to the changes in his life that occurred every 4 or 5 years. I attempted to incorporate songs of different genres in order to represent my own tastes in music, but soon found that raps songs most appropriately related to Escobar’s life story, so I attempted to integrate them appropriately while maintain some balance with the use of other genres .Also, in the original version I failed to include enough commentary on musical elements and forced the placements of some songs. Thanks to the comments and recommendations by Dan and “knottd”, I was able to correct many of the problems I had in my original playlist. The whole process of telling a story through the use of the lyrical and sonic elements of selected songs made the project challenging but also added a level of personal interest, especially for a music lover such as myself.

Pablo Escobar (Original)
Pablo Escobar (Final)

Collages

The collages were, to put it bluntly, my least favorite project. While I was originally very intrigued by the idea of creating a collage on a computer through image editing, the amount of trouble I had getting my collages to work correctly and look as intended led to massive frustration. While the program offered great possibilities, I never seemed to be able to keep it open long enough to take advantage of these capabilities. These technical problems actually led me to create a new character collage, which happens to be the one about which I feel the best. Originally, I created a character collage depicting Odysseus and a collage representing the poem “London”. I was not very proud of the original draft of either. The Odysseus collage merely lacked adequate color and contrast and seemed too chaotic to be understood by anyone other than myself. I attempted to alleviate these problems by reordering the pictures and alter dimensions, but I could not salvage the work. The London collage, on the other hand, actually showed promise. By eliminating some of the open space, adding the wall denouncing capitalism, and focusing on the striking nature of many of the images, I was able to more accurately portray the despair described in the poem and draw in the viewer. In order to complete the project I decided to create a collage representing Holden Caulfield in “The Catcher in the Rye”. I did Holden because as I thought back, “The Catcher in the Rye” came to mind as the first novel that truly affected me and I decided attempting to interpret his character would be both challenging and fun. Using a hectic Madison Square Garden as the background, I attempted to demonstrate the peace of mind Holden discovers when he thinks of himself as a catcher in the rye saving innocent children, such as his sister Phoebe, from the evils of the world. I also placed a private school in the background to show his movement away from the troubled years he spent bouncing from school to school. While I only created one version of this collage, I think it is by far the most polished and telling of the character.

Odysseus (Original)
Odysseus (Second)
London (Original)
London (Final)
Holden Caulfield

Annotations

Doing the annotations for Emily Dickinson’s poems was surprisingly interesting. While I have read Dickinson before, I was impressed by some of the poems we worked on that I had never before read. Due to the difficult nature of many of her poems, one of the hardest parts of the assignment was finding sections of the poem which I felt I was able to interpret. This exercise definitely forced me to spend time pondering and allow myself a little room for individuality in annotating the poems. While the exercise was more traditional than many of our projects, I enjoyed learning how to use wikipedia and felt I obtained a fairly strong grasp on almost all of the poems. As a side note, I may not have all of my posts but I did my best to find all the posts I did while not logged in.

This World is not conclusion- Plucks at a Twig of Evidence
The World is Not Conclusion- Crucifixion
The Tint I Cannot take- is Best- Guinea
The Tint I Cannot take- is Best- Cannot take
He Fumbles at Your Soul-Thunderbolt
A Light Exists in Spring- It almost speaks to you
Stuck was I, Yet not by Lightning- Venture
Stuck was I, Yet not by Lightning- Who mine Enemy?
The Tint I Cannot take- is Best- Cleopatra’s Company
The Tint I Cannot take- is Best- Graspless
I Started Early- Took my Dog- Dandelions
I Started Early- Took My Dog
I heard a fly buzz when I died- Blue
I’m Nobody! Who are You?
I’m Nobody! Who are You?- Dreary
I heard a fly buzz when I died- Fly
A Light Exists in Spring-Loss
My Life had stood- a Loaded Gun

Podcast

While I was originally not very excited when Dan explained the project to us, I really enjoyed interpreting the meaning of our songs and thought we did a good job relating them to literature and also each other. It was nice to get to know Taylor and work with her. We had little trouble talking about our songs and actually got to the point at which it actually felt like we were just having a conversation. I think the best part of the assignment was the fact that we had almost limitless possibilities for what to discuss and where to go with our podcast. This atmosphere contributed to the notion of a discussion and not an assignment. I had fun hosting our “show” and thought we really fulfilled the intentions of the assignment. Go ahead and listen for yourself
Podcast on music as a form of literature

Video

The video project was far and away my favorite assignment. While the work was sometimes tedious and frustrating, I think the end result of my video is a pretty cool look at literature in the 1960’s. My basic premise was to take four historically significant novels from the 1960’s and loosely tell their story while also showing the aspect of American culture each referred to or had an influence on. For the Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test I got photos of the van featured in the book and other miscellaneous snapshots from the hippie era which “The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test” came to represent. The second novel, “Catch-22”, was actually about World War II, but the notions of disillusionment and the evils of war were both extremely relevant during the Vietnam War. “The Feminine Mystique” was one of the most influential moments in the feminist movement; as such I attempted to demonstrate the change from past social norms to a new age of equality. The final book, “Silent Spring”, was about the harmful effects of DDT and other chemicals, so I showed the signs of imminent danger and then flashed to the new environmentalist movement “Silent Spring” sparked. I attempted to line up all the music as well as possible and also use music which demonstrated the mood of each book or novel. My favorite section is that of “Silent Spring”. While I was working on it I my iTunes just happened to turn to Aerodynamic by Daft Punk. As soon as I heard it I realized it would fit in perfectly. I used each bell ring to represent a new danger to the environment and when the movement turned to a rapid pace I began rapidly showing photos of the environmentalist movement. I really enjoyed the project in all aspects. I was able to examine four significant novels while also using my own personality to create a film that depicted one of the most important decades, both for literature and our society as a whole, in America’s history.
Literature of the 1960’s

This video brings together four groundbreaking novels of the sixties and offers social commentary relating to each book through the use of still images.



< br>

Acid Test Cover
http://www.tomwolfe.com/KoolAid.html
Man in Nam
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/05/in_pictures_the...
Hanging out
http://showcase.netins.net/web/rradars/gang.jpg
Heli Hovering
http://showcase.netins.net/web/rradars/vietnam.html
Women Working on Computer
http://www.kpcnews.net/special-sections/reflections1/reflections24a.gif
Two Women on Computer
http://www.picsearch.com/info.cgi?q=women%20in%20the%20workforce&id=_ISS...
Four Women Working
http://www.bentley.edu/wli/images/WOMEN%2520CONFERENCE%2520II.JPG

Peace Symbol
www.blogforpeace.org/2006/04/03/
Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test
Furthur
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Furthur_02.jpg
Inside Furthur
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/76/Furthur_Inside.jpeg
People on bus
http://www.moonbattery.com/archives/hippies.jpg
Acid Test Poster
http://www.key-z.com/Acid-test-signboard-big-web.jpg
Hippies Dancing
http://library.thinkquest.org/C007481/hippies.gif
Haight and Ashbury
http://www.bbcamerica.com/media/216/gene_anthony--_hippies_on_the_corner...
Hippies on a field
http://www.bbcamerica.com/media/216/gene_anthony--_hippies_on_the_corner...
Allman Brothers
http://bp3.blogger.com/_M2cobFMPcGo/RwkbvUGLnRI/AAAAAAAAHV8/iz8Ymr9zhxA/...
Grateful Dead
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v410/Tolbi/grateful_dead.jpg
Stoner
http://www.letlifein.com/letlife/DesktopModules/Articles/MakeThumbnail.a...
On the Bus
http://www.clothmonkey.com/images/further240.jpg
Three sitting
http://www.inge.net/galleries/haight/pix/H25_show.jpg
Acid test Diploma
http://www.pranksterweb.org/graddiplo.jpg
Are you on Drugs?
http://bp3.blogger.com/_M2cobFMPcGo/RwkbvUGLnRI/AAAAAAAAHV8/iz8Ymr9zhxA/...
Hippies Hugging
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w195/Dreadloxy/my%2520space%2520stuff...

Catch-22
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Catch22_cover.jpg
Pilots
http://kotv.com/special/Jim-Giles/photos/08.jpg
Copters Flying in
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/05/in_pictures_the...
Vietnam War Plane Crash
http://www.patriotduty.com/images/stories/easygallery/resized/14/1178848...
Children Running
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/05/in_pictures_the...
Gun to Head
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/05/in_pictures_the...
War is hell
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/05/in_pictures_the...
Peace Signs
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/05/in_pictures_the...
End the War Now
http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Nov05/Vietnam_protest.jpg
Woman Protesting
http://www.joseflebovicgallery.com/Catalogue/Archive/Cat-110-2004/Large/...
Walk With Us
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/haventohome/timeline/images/_cards/1970_075_...
Dead
http://www.lib.lsu.edu/special/exhibits/redstick/protest.jpg
Anti Vietnam
http://www.teara.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/69D2AEF4-9B4E-4BC9-A227-B278C0CFCC...
Two Helicopters
http://www.facts.com/art/facts-vietnam.jpg
Flower in Barrel
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/haventohome/timeline/images/_cards/1970_075_...
Remembering Vietnam
http://www.glynn.k12.ga.us/BHS/academics/junior/yonkers/barienp11672/MEM...
Feminine Mystique
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Mystique.jpg
Man Holding Chin
http://img.scoop.co.nz/stories/images/0408/be8d8c28f7c06968e0fb.jpeg
Three men talking
http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Publications/Bulletins/227/gifs/three_directors.jp...
Man with Shovel
http://flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=509295664&size=l
Good Wife's guide
http://www.healthy-bride.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/1955pg1.jpg
Women With Children
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~legends/DIEPOLDER-Ada-Kate-Carter-women-m...
Housework
http://www.paulvaneijden.nl/blog/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/housework.jp...
Women Working
http://www.cwluherstory.com/CWLUGallery/images/working.gif
Woman with hands on chin
http://www.insuranceclaimsconsult.com/work%2520comp%2520woman%255B1%255D...
Women At the Board
http://www.pmi.org/Resources/PublishingImages/Standards/WorkingSessions....
We Can Do it
http://www.umkc.edu/lib/spec-col/ww2/WarNews/images/rosie.jpg
Scientist
http://www.stephens.edu/admission/images/Fea.JPG
All Americans
http://www.nscaa.com/site_img/jcd3women.gif
Silent Spring
DDT is good for me+ vehicle spraying DDT
http://www.tc.umn.edu/~allch001/1815/pestcide/sim/ddt-long-isl-1945.jpg
Workers spraying DDT
http://www.whale.to/vaccines/images/DDT-spraying-workers515x336.gif
DDT
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/11/magazine/11DDT.html
Earth with hands under
http://media.independent.com/img/photos/2007/06/21/earth.jpg
Earth Day
http://www.downtoearth.org/articles/inside/eday.jpg
Planting flowers
http://www.pollutionissues.com/images/paz_01_img0119.jpg
Little things
http://lh3.google.com/_gG00ucwtXQI/Rlcs17q3tVI/AAAAAAAABaI/r0fk41PIHMg/s800/Finland%2BDay%2BFourteen%2B(25%2BMay%2B2007)%2B032.JPG
Soil in hands
http://www.uoguelph.ca/research/news/articles/2006/December/environment_...
Planting
http://westseattleblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/planting.jpg
Recycling symbol
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7b/Recycling_symbo...
Tree Planting 2005
http://dendrobium.bhpbilliton.com/images/TreePlantingDay2005.jpg
Masked Man
http://www.library.pitt.edu/libraries/archives/eafmask.jpg
Second Masked man+ smokestack+ hate smog
https://www.aqmd.gov/news1/images/protest.gif
Students Cleaning up
https://www.aqmd.gov/news1/images/protest.gif
Ban Chemicals
http://cimperman.com/BanChemicalWeapons.jpg
Smoke Two Joints by Sublime
Sugar Magnolia by Grateful Dead
Speak to Me, Breathe by Pink Floyd
It's a Man's World by James Brown
American Girl by Tom Petty
Aerodynamic by Daft Punk

The following play list examines Pablo Escobar’s meteoric rise from the poverty of Medellin to his reign as the leader of the largest drug cartel in the world. Escobar provided hope for those around him and a target for those abroad. A well noted philanthropist yet brutal drug lord, Escobar sought to change the world by any means necessary. While he was eventually gunned down by a special police unit in 1993, his life continues to reflect, for better or worse, what we call the “American Dream”.

The Message- Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five

The Message tells the story of Grandmaster Flash’s life growing up in an American ghetto. Pablo Escobar, like Grandmaster Flash, grew up in a poverty stricken area and sought refuge within the neighborhood gangs. A petty thief in his younger years, by the time of his adolescence Escobar had already begun stealing tombstones from graveyards and selling them to Panamanian smugglers. While most see such an act as immoral and despicable, The Message helps provide a glimpse into the conditions which lead to people, such as Escobar, going to such great lengths to improve their lives. The lyrics and beat provide a somber feeling yet still seem to provide a sense of pride and hope in the "thugs, pimps, [and] pushers" that feed off of the ghetto.

You grow in the ghetto, living second rate

And your eyes will sing a song of deep hate

The places you play and where you stay

Looks like one great big alley way

You’ll admire all the number book takers

Thugs, pimps, pushers and the big money makers

Casey Jones- Grateful Dead

With the discovery of cocaine and the drug trafficking business in his early twenties, Escobar encountered the most important decision of his life. Although Escobar had managed a meager existence through petty crimes, he soon gravitated towards the successful drug lords he saw around him. As with the fictional character Casey Jones, Escobar began to let the drug take over his life. Even though he knew it may lead him to “trouble ahead”, he decided to take that risk as he assessed the similar “trouble behind”. Also, as with lyrics and mood of the song, Escobar jumped right in with little hesitation and great anticipation of the ride ahead.

Driving that train, high on cocaine

Casey Jones you'd better watch your speed

Trouble ahead, trouble behind

And you know that notion just crossed my mind

Grindin’- The Clipse


As with most small time drug dealers, Escobar began moving weight as a way to support himself and later his family. The lyric below discusses about a young drug dealer’s entry into the cocaine business. Much like the character in the song, Escobar was enticed by dreams of “hideaway(s) by the lake” and the other perks of the wealthy citizens of Colombia. The song's beat and meter produce a sense of "grindin" through the constant yet rhythmic pounding similar to that of a street hustler banging on the streets. Also, the song mentions taking out “whoever gets in the way”, something for which Escobar would become extremely infamous.

My grind's 'bout family, never been about fame

From days I wasn't "Abel/able", there was always "Cain/caine"

Four and a half will get you in the game

Anything less is just a goddamn shame

Guess the weight, my watch got blue chips in the face

with two tips whoever gets in the way

Not to mention the hideaway that rests by the lake

Consider my water meaning the icing on the cake

Pusherman- Curtis Mayfield


Escobar continued to push his way to the top. With increased power and respect, he began to view his business as a “solid life of crime” that dealt with “ghetto demands”. Fueled by fear and “[insecurity] from the past”, Escobar expanded his empire to an unbelievable size. Like Mayfield, Escobar used his charisma and drive to work his way up. The song provides a laid back sound, one that serves perfectly to correspond to Escobar's comfort at being on top and underlying hubris. As with any high, however, the question of “how long can a good thing last?” was always lurking.

solid life, of crime

a man of odd circumstance

a victim of ghetto demands

feed me money for [style]

and i'll let you trip for a while

insecure from the past

how long can a good thing last?

Black Republicans- Nas ft. Jay Z


As Escobar’s power and wealth grew, he began to use his influence in other arenas. Unable to “turn [his] back on the hood” or “clean up (his) act for good”, Escobar began pumping large amounts of his dirty money into the local communities. Though many knew of his illegal dealings, few objected to his philanthropic efforts, including the erection of numerous schools, hospitals, and soccer stadiums. Also, in an attempt to gain further power in Colombia, Escobar ran a political campaign and was elected to the national senate. As with this song, a person who many see as unwholesome envisions the change he would make if placed in a position of political power. The song is very dark and has a grim sound. It offers a sense of the brooding nature of those who rise from nothing to positions of power.

I feel like a black militant takin' over the government

Can't turn my back on the hood, too much love for them

Can't clean my act up for good, too much thug in 'em

Probably end up back in the hood, I'm like f**k it then

Pool Shark- Sublime


As Escobar’s power continued to increase, the wealth and drug trade became an addiction for him. Similar to a heroin addict who’s “got the needle”, Escobar began to let things spiral out of control. Even as one of Forbes ten richest men in the world, Escobar refused to let up his ruthless tactics for economic gain. Though this attitude is what led to him to prominence, it also would lead to him “[losing] the war”. While not as dark as many of the other songs, the lyrics and mood seem to blend together to display the frantic nature of an addict looking for one more high, even if that high may be his last.


Now I've got the needle,

And I can shake,

but I can't breath.

Take it away, I want more and more.

One day I'm gonna lose the war.

Hate Me Now


After years of ruthless tactics, even the citizens of Medellin wanted nothing to do with Pablo Escobar. Following a serious of bombings that were clearly orchestrated by Escobar, a search bloc was formed to find and arrest Escobar. Though the search bloc used advanced technology and had numerous leads, they were never quite able to catch up with Escobar. As with this song's lyrics, Escobar seems to know "there's no turning back now" yet seems to thrive off the sense of imminent danger. The beat is very powerful and seems to engulf the listener, only further adding to this sense of the chase. It provides a romanticized view of the criminal lifestyle and demonstrates the iconic status criminals such as Escobar often achieve.


It's been a long time, been a long time comin

Looks like the death of me now

But you know, there's no turning back now

This is what makes me - this is what I am

Somebody’s Gotta Die- Notorious B.I.G.


When the pressure from the government and the threat of extradition became too intense, Escobar surrendered to authorities. Escobar did so, however, under the condition that he could remain in a prison he built himself, cleverly named La Catedral. After numerous murders were reported on the property, the Search Bloc moved in. It was clear that, as with "Somebody’s Gotta Die", there was no peaceful way to resolve the situation. The song does not provide a sense of fear but more that of readiness for a conclusion. The darkness and bluntness of the song reflect the real life scenario that was about to play out for Escobar. Escobar “let the gunshots blow” when he was confronted by authorities and died from a shot to the head, ending a life punctuated by remarkable highs and lows.


Somebody's gotta die

If I got, you gotta go

Somebody's gotta die

Let the gunshots blow

Somebody's gotta die

Nobody gotta know

As Steve Earle relates at the end of his narrative, " I know that the lives of other people who [Jonathon Nobles] came in contact with changed as well, including mine. In the beginning, Earle seems to accept Nobles at face value, a man "guilty of crimes he was charged with". With time, however, his opinion begins to change. Through their ten year correspondence, Earle begins to see the positive effects rehabilitation can produce in the men society has given up on. Earle even uses Nobles as strength in his fighting his own drug addiction. By the time of Nobles' execution, Earle truly believes in the power of one man, guilty or innocent, to change himself and inspire those around him.

I believe that, while not the most obvious, the truest form of deceit comes from "the Misfit". Throughout his encounter with the grandmother The Misfit weaves a tale of the misfortunes and false claims that serve as his reasoning for committing atrocities. Instead of confessing that he has done wrong, he continues to rationalize his crimes with wrongs he believes have been done to him throughout his life. By using these tales, truthful or not, The Misfit cons the grandmother into feeling a sense of remorse for him and, in the end, kills her for looking past this facade and accepting him as one of "her children".

The following play list examines Pablo Escobar’s meteoric rise from the poverty of Medellin to his reign as the leader of the largest drug cartel in the world. Escobar provided hope for those around him and a target for those abroad. A well noted philanthropist yet brutal drug lord, Escobar sought to change the world by any means necessary. While he was eventually gunned down by a special police unit in 1993, his life continues to reflect, for better or worse, what we call the “American Dream”.

The Message- Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five
The Message tells the story of Grandmaster Flash’s life growing up in an American ghetto. Pablo Escobar, like Grandmaster Flash, grew up in a poverty stricken area and sought refuge within the neighborhood gangs. A petty thief in his younger years, by the time of his adolescence Escobar had already begun stealing tombstones from graveyards and selling them to Panamanian smugglers. While most see such an act as immoral and despicable, The Message helps provide a glimpse into the conditions which lead to people, such as Escobar, going to such great lengths to improve their lives.

You grow in the ghetto, living second rate
And your eyes will sing a song of deep hate
The places you play and where you stay
Looks like one great big alley way
You’ll admire all the number book takers
Thugs, pimps, pushers and the big money makers



Casey Jones- Grateful Dead
With the discovery of cocaine and the drug trafficking business in his early twenties, Escobar encountered the most important decision of his life. Although Escobar had managed a meager existence through grand theft auto, he soon gravitated towards the successful drug lords he saw around him. As with the fictional character Casey Jones, Escobar began to let the drug take over his life. Even though he knew it may lead him to “trouble ahead”, he decided to take that risk as he assessed the similar “trouble behind”. Also, as with lyrics and mood of the song, Escobar jumped right in with little hesitation and great anticipation.

Driving that train, high on cocaine
Casey Jones you'd better watch your speed
Trouble ahead, trouble behind
And you know that notion just crossed my mind



Grindin’- The Clipse

As with most small time drug dealers, Escobar began moving weight as a way to support himself and later his family. The lyric below discusses about a young drug dealer’s entry into the cocaine business. Much like the character in the song, Escobar was enticed by dreams of “hideaway(s) by the lake” and the other perks of the wealthy citizens of Columbia. Also, the song mentions taking out “whoever gets in the way”, something for which Escobar would become extremely infamous.

My grind's 'bout family, never been about fame
From days I wasn't "Abel/able", there was always "Cain/caine"
Four and a half will get you in the game
Anything less is just a goddamn shame
Guess the weight, my watch got blue chips in the face
with two tips whoever gets in the way
Not to mention the hideaway that rests by the lake
Consider my water meaning the icing on the cake

Pusherman- Curtis Mayfield

Escobar continued to push his way to the top. With increased power and respect, he began to view his business as a “solid life of crime” that dealt with “ghetto demands”. Fueled by fear and “[insecurity] from the past”, Escobar expanded his empire to an unbelievable size. Like Mayfield, Escobar used his charisma and drive to work his way up. As with any high, however, the question of “how long can a good thing last?” was always lurking.

solid life, of crime
a man of odd circumstance
a victim of ghetto demands
feed me money for [style]
and i'll let you trip for a while
insecure from the past
how long can a good thing last?



Black Republicans- Nas ft. Jay Z

As Escobar’s power and wealth grew, he began to use his influence in other arenas. Unable to “turn [his] back on the hood” or “clean up (his) act for good”, Escobar began pumping large amounts of his dirty money into the local communities. Though many knew of his illegal dealings, few objected to his erection of numerous public buildings, including schools, hospitals, and soccer stadiums. Also, in an attempt to gain further power in Colombia, Escobar ran a political campaign and was elected to the national senate ran for and was elected to the national senate. As with this song, a person who many see as unwholesome envisions the change he would make if placed in a position of political power.

I feel like a black militant takin' over the government
Can't turn my back on the hood, too much love for them
Can't clean my act up for good, too much thug in 'em
Probably end up back in the hood, I'm like f**k it then


Pool Shark- Sublime

As Escobar’s power continued to increase, the wealth and drug trade became an addiction for him. Similar to a heroin addict who’s “got the needle”, Escobar began to let things spiral out of control. Even as one of Forbes ten richest men in the world, Escobar refused to let up his ruthless tactics for economic gain. Though this attitude is what led to him to prominence, it also would lead to him, like the heroin addict depicted in this song, “[losing] the war”.

Now I've got the needle,
And I can shake,
but I can't breath.
Take it away, I want more and more.
One day I'm gonna lose the war.



Gimme Three Steps

After years of ruthless tactics, even the citizens of Medellin wanted nothing to do with Pablo Escobar. Following a serious of bombings that were clearly orchestrated by Escobar, a search bloc was formed to find and arrest Escobar. Though the search bloc usually advanced technology and had numerous leads, they were never quite able to catch up with Escobar. Like the fictional character in Gimme Three Steps, Escobar was beginning to feel the heat. This song represents the increased pressure Escobar was feeling, yet also demonstrates his cunning ability to always escape in the nick of time.

Well, it aint no fun
Staring straight down a forty-four.
Well he turned and screamed at linda lu
And thats the break I was looking for.
And you could hear me screaming a mile away
As I was headed out towards the door.



Somebody’s Gotta Die- Notorious B.I.G.

When the pressure from the government and the threat of extradition became too intense, Escobar surrendered to authorities. Escobar did so, however, under the condition that he could remain in a prison he built himself, cleverly named La Catedral. After numerous murders were reported on the property, the Search Bloc moved in. It was clear that, as with Somebody’s gotta die, there was no peaceful way to resolve the situation. Escobar “let the gunshots blow” when he was confronted by authorities and died from a shot to the cranium.

Somebody's gotta die
If I got, you gotta go
Somebody's gotta die
Let the gunshots blow
Somebody's gotta die
Nobody gotta know